Berekum (B/A), Aug. 18, GNA - Mr. William Owusu-Ofori, Assembly Member for Ahenebronoso North Electoral Area in Berekum Municipality, has appealed to the Assembly and non-governmental organisations to contribute to the development of the area to improve the standards of living of the people.

He said that the area was confronted with myriad problems including bad roads, poor drainage system and inadequate electricity supply. Mr Owusu-Ofori in an interview with GNA in Berekum cited that the Nyametease-Mpatabo-Bishop Owusu Girls Basic School road was so bad that taxi drivers were compelled to end their journeys at a point, and passengers had to hire either a push truck or wheel-barrow to cart their luggage to the other side of the road. He said drivers and pedestrians found it difficult to use the Kyiribaa=96Down Town-Apraku Quarters road, especially during the rainy season because of the deplorable nature of the road. Mr Owusu-Ofori expressed worry that some residents in Nyametease lacked electricity and promised to work hard to reverse the situation. Mr Owusu-Ofori, who is a dispensary technician at Partners Pharmaceutical Service in Berekum, said that he spent GHC120.00 on the rehabilitation of a damaged gutter to ensure free-flow of water. Meanwhile some traders from the Electoral Area GNA interviewed said they were unhappy about dwindling profit in their operations this year as compared to 2010.

Madam Cecilia Tawiah, a 70 year-old cloth seller at Berekum Central Market, Mr. Kwaku Abraham, a mobile-phone seller at the main lorry station and Madam Georgina Takyiwaa, 26 year-old agro-chemical product seller, also at the Central Market, attributed the situation to tax increase on imported goods and products. Mr. William Kyere, 26 year-old taxi driver, said 93operations or sales were far better in 2010 than these first eighth months of the year 2011, as a lot of people keep on complaining about lack of money in their pockets".